China probes major online travel and hotel-booking platforms
China's market regulator in Beijing has opened probes into multiple online travel and hotel-booking platforms, including a Meituan unit, an Alibaba-backed business and firms Tongcheng and Tujia, after preliminary findings cited suspected unfair competition. The China Hotel Association confirmed regulators had begun investigations following a meeting with industry and ministry officials. The firms say they are cooperating. The action follows a recent 5.2 billion yuan fine on Trip.com for alleged monopoly and comes alongside an unrelated major proposed AI investment by Alibaba into UniPat AI, underscoring regulatory and investment shifts in China’s tech sector.
Regulators have opened probes into multiple major booking platforms.
Context
Regulators found preliminary concerns about unfair competition in online booking. China fined Trip.com previously for monopoly practices. Probes could lead to further enforcement or remedies for these platforms.
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